Bloedhond – Delightfully scary entertainment for Halloween month

Where does Bloedhond’s wrong turn lead? To a peculiar family where the bloodlines are already quite twisted, living in isolation for 27 years. This family is constantly hungry and thirsty—and you can probably guess what they crave. The figure that promises the most nightmares is the grotesque Bloedhond (Kevin Peyper) with his terrifying dog mask. Prepare yourself for chills and an unexpected twist.

The main ensemble delivers excellent performances. Cindy Swanepoel and Zak Hendrikz, as the sister and brother Francine and Benedictus, with their yellow teeth, sticking-out tongues, hysterical laughter and crude jokes, keep viewers glued to the screen. Tony Caprari, with his impressive 66 film and TV credits on IMDb, brings intensity to his role as the family patriarch, Ben. Although some of the younger actors are not always equally convincing, it is refreshing that Van Heerden and director Deon Potgieter give new talent the opportunity to play in the blood.

Bloedhond probably didn’t have a massive budget, but proves that a lot is still possible with a little. From cinematography (Gavin Sterley and Hendrik Badenhorst) to editing (Nathan Smith) and especially costume and makeup (a big applause here for Melissa Hopley, Chanel Fivaz and Bronwen Kilian!) – each department did an excellent job. A good horror film is undoubtedly measured by its music and sound design (and to what extent the musical elements raise the hairs on your neck), and here Janno Muller and Cornell Boshoff definitely hit the right notes at the right moments.

Bloedhond’s vision was clear, but it didn’t quite hit the mark completely. There are moments where the dialogue feels awkward, sections where the fear of the situations isn’t communicated effectively, and scenes where bright lighting in night sequences completely breaks the illusion of the dark, ominous forest. But let me say again: this film is a step in the right direction and gets many things right.

Bloedhond proves that horror in Afrikaans is not only possible, but can also be funny, absurd and shocking. Such levels of bloody entertainment have never before been seen in Afrikaans. You might even want to watch it more than once – because the first time, you may spend more time under the blanket than above it.

My hope is that eVOD and other streaming services and channels will invest more in Afrikaans, especially in the horror genre. Then one day we can say: Bloedhond left the first bloody footprint so that new Afrikaans horror films could follow the dark road with courage and bloodlust.